Open AccessCross-lagged model of bullying victimization and mental health problems in children with autism in middle to older childhood
Author(s) -
Geovanna Rodriguez,
Kim Drastal,
Sigan L. Hartley
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
autism
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.899
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1461-7005
pISSN - 1362-3613
DOI - 10.1177/1362361320947513
Subject(s) - autism , mental health , psychology , clinical psychology , autism spectrum disorder , poison control , suicide prevention , victimisation , occupational safety and health , longitudinal study , injury prevention , developmental psychology , intervention (counseling) , human factors and ergonomics , psychiatry , medicine , environmental health , pathology
Youth with autism spectrum disorders are disproportionately at risk for bullying victimization compared to typically developing children and adolescents. While internalizing and externalizing mental health problems have been linked to victimization experiences, few studies have examined the longitudinal effects bullying victimization experiences may have on youth mental health outcomes. The present study investigated longitudinal associations between bullying victimization and mental health problems in a sample of children with autism in middle childhood to early adolescence (aged 5 to 12 years). Findings from our study suggest that youth with autism who experienced bullying victimization (versus no victimization) were older in age, had more severe autism symptoms, and higher levels of internalizing and externalizing mental health problems at study onset. Though externalizing mental health problems at study onset (Time 1) did not relate to change in the likelihood of being bullied one year later (Time 2), experiences of bullying victimization did relate to an increase in parent reports of internalizing mental health problems. This study expanded on previous cross-sectional studies by including two waves of data in a relatively large sample of youth with autism and highlights important information that may be helpful in adapting approaches to intervention at the individual level. Moreover, our findings support the need for bullying programs that may need to focus particular attention to subgroups of youth with autism who may be most at-risk for bullying victimization such as those with more autism symptoms and those with past experiences of victimization (given the chronic nature of bullying).